Category: Ethics and behaviour

Bullying the hospital again

Collingwood / Council / Ethics and behaviour / Hospital2 Comments

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Brian Saunderson never seems to tire of creating conflict with our local hospital. When he’s not acting all lawerly and grilling the volunteer members of the board and its representatives like guilty suspects in a trial, he’s coming up with new ways to be confrontational and adversarial. All in a vain attempt to make it look like he, the town administration, and his sycophant Block minions are not the cause of the problem. Sneaky, Brian, but ineffectual. You, dear reader, know the truth. You’ve followed the story here, you’ve watched the hospital representatives being attacked and insulted by Brian and ……… click below for more ↓

Why hasn’t a new CAO been hired?

Collingwood / Council / Ethics and behaviour / Planning & Policies / Staff and administrationLeave a comment

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The town was supposed to be hiring a new CAO, to replace John Brown, the unpopular interim CAO currently in the corner office. But although he’s supposed to be gone by September (I can hear you cheering now at that thought), that’s barely six weeks away. And we have heard nothing yet from council about his replacement. By now, a new one should have been in place. Announcements should have been made in the local media. But we’ve heard… nothing. Smells fishy? It’s as if The Block still intends to keep Brown on, to extend his contract for a third ……… click below for more ↓

Utter contempt at council

Collingwood / Council / Ethics and behaviour / Planning & Policies / Taxes / User fees and costsLeave a comment

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Utter contempt. That’s what The Block showed for process at council, on Monday night. And for ethics. And for you, the residents. Utter contempt. But when they want to give benefits to their friends or themselves, boy do they rise to the occasion. Which of course they did, Monday. Anything for a buddy, no matter what negative effect it has on residents. No matter how it will exacerbate ill will in the community, or create bad feelings towards town hall. No matter what it will do to your insurance rates. As long as their friend gets his, who cares? As ……… click below for more ↓

The test of integrity

Collingwood / Council / Ethics and behaviour / Taxes / User fees and costs4 Comments

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I’ve been complaining all this term that Collingwood’s standing committee system is broken. It is redundant, ineffective and expensive. It continues in use only because it was the brainchild of the interim CAO who The Block worship. But it is about to come under a test: one that will determine the integrity and ethics of both the system and The Block. On July 10, the Corporate and Community Services Standing Committee received a report on the services of Fire Marque, an insurance collection agency. The report was requested by Councillor Jeffrey, close friends (as are all of The Block) with ……… click below for more ↓

What will the secret EPCOR negotiations cost us?

Collingwood / Council / Ethics and behaviour / Utilities: electricity and waterLeave a comment

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I was reading about the failed attempt by EPCOR – an Edmonton-based, for-profit corporation – to purchase half of Innisfil’s Power utility (InnPower) last year. Back in Sept., 2015, there was a story in the Barrie Examiner that noted: INNISFIL — Town council has approved the sale of 50% of InnPower (formerly Innisfil Hydro) to Edmonton-based EPCOR to create a new ‘strategic partnership’. At a public meeting to discuss the sale (remember public meetings and public engagement? Those are processes you got last term… this term it’s all about secrecy), PowerStream’s CEO, Brian Bentz commented on …the “exclusivity clause” in ……… click below for more ↓

Assholes part two: Trump and his local mimics

Books & Reviews / Collingwood / Council / Ethics and behaviour / What I'm Reading NowOne Comment

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Back in 2014 I reviewed a book by philosophy professor Aaron James called Assholes. A Theory. I discussed how his study related to politics and politicians, particularly those who call themselves “A-type” personalities (including one or two on the local council). Well James wrote another book, really an addendum to this one, titled Assholes. A Theory of Donald Trump. It was smaller than your average paperback, and a mere 130 pages, perhaps 20,000 words long. And since it came out just before the 2016 presidential election, it really doesn’t deal with the startling number of asshole things – the many, ……… click below for more ↓

Brian the comedian

Collingwood / Council / Ethics and behaviour / Humour & Satire / Municipal Politics / Planning & PoliciesOne Comment

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Following the success of Collingwood’s Comedy Duo, whose act has taken them on tour across the nation on the taxpayers’ dollar, our Deputy Mayor has entered the ring as our jester-du-jour. And since the Duo’s main act was sidelined recently by not being allowed to keep a snout into the FCM trough, it looks like Brian’s act may be the foremost comedy skit in the council burlesque. Who would have thought a lawyer could also be a clown? At a recent Council meeting (June 12, 2017) he had the audience in stitches with his new routines. And not just his ……… click below for more ↓

Small comfort from FCM

Collingwood / Council / Ethics and behaviour / TaxesLeave a comment

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Collingwoodites can take small comfort from the wisdom of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities. I’ve been told that last week at its annual convention in Ottawa, FCM delegates failed to return our own Councillor Jeffery to their board of directors, possibly saving local taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars this term. Taxpayers will no longer have to pay the costs of her personal political ambitions with their hard-earned salaries. One less mouth sucking at the government tit. Or maybe not. Word is that the councillor is still pursuing her ambitions by trying to get appointed to a committee within FCM, ……… click below for more ↓

Madigan to chair do-nothing committee

Collingwood / Council / Ethics and behaviour2 Comments

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A story in last week’s Connection has the headline, “Madigan named chair of Collingwood development, operations committee.” Councillor Madigan has the dubious honour of chairing a standing committee that does nothing of value, has no decision-making authority and – like the rest of the standing committees – is redundant, ineffective and inefficient. Which is an absolutely perfect fit for a loyal Block member. It makes them look busy without allowing them to meddle in anything important, and lets them boast about their engagement without actually doing anything or engaging anyone. The emperor’s new clothes at its finest. Congratulations are in ……… click below for more ↓

We were lied to. Again.

Collingwood / Council / Ethics and behaviour / Utilities: electricity and water4 Comments

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On Monday, the Block chose a new representative for the town’s half of the Collus-PowerStream board. They advertised the position in the local media and accepted applications from several qualified local residents. They made it look like they were actually going to follow the proper and legal process for the first time. They went in camera to discuss the applications. And who did they appoint when they came out? Councillor Deb “What’s a dividend?” Doherty. Yes, the same councillor who complained about not getting a dividend from the utility after she and her colleagues gutted the utility and killed its ……… click below for more ↓

Sadly, it’s business as usual

Collingwood / Council / Ethics and behaviour / Hospital / Municipal PoliticsOne Comment

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I suppose you expect I am disappointed that not a single one of The Block had the spine, the moral compass, the ethical guts to resign after killing the hospital redevelopment. After all, I called on them all – plus the interim CAO – to resign immediately. Not doing so, I said, would prove everything I ever said about them. They didn’t budge. Well, my compensation is that I get to say “I told you so.” Again. I suspect I will repeat those words several more times this term. People only disappoint you when they don’t live up to your ……… click below for more ↓

The Block killed the hospital. They MUST all resign. Now.

Collingwood / Council / Development & Growth / Ethics and behaviour / Hospital2 Comments

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The actions of The Block and the town’s administration have resulted in the Collingwood General & Marine Hospital losing its chance for redevelopment. The province didn’t include funding for the local proposal in its budget. The next opportunity for such funding will be at least a decade away, if one ever comes along. If any of these people have even a shred of decency, of honour, they will all resign immediately. If any of these people felt even a twinge of shame for misleading the community while they pursued their own personal – and very destructive – agendas, they would ……… click below for more ↓

‘Senator’ Jeffrey gets more money again

Collingwood / Council / Ethics and behaviour / TaxesOne Comment

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The Block once again rewarded one of their own by granting Councillor ‘Senator’ Jeffrey an unlimited expense account to wine, dine and party across Canada on the taxpayer’s dollar. The Connection story is headlined, “Collingwood councillor seeks Federation of Canadian Municipalities seat. That – like so many other Connection headlines – is incorrect. She has held the seat for the last two-and-a-half years, paid for by you, the taxpayer. This is just to extend her entitlement, a blank cheque without the messiness of accountability. The Block think that your tax dollars should be shovelled into that maw, with no restrictions, ……… click below for more ↓

The DM’s height of hypocrisy

Collingwood / Council / Development & Growth / Ethics and behaviour / HospitalLeave a comment

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There’s a story in this week’s Connection with the misleading headline, “Town asks hospital for public meeting”. The online version has it as “Collingwood asks hospital for public meeting.” Neither is correct. The “town” wants nothing of the sort. The mayor – who speaks for the town – has never expressed that on behalf of council. Actually, she voted against the request. But the real headline is buried in the opening: “Collingwood’s deputy mayor wants council and the hospital to put out a united front on the redevelopment plan.” Well, it’s clear to see why the Connection is being called ……… click below for more ↓

Collingwood deserves answers

Collingwood / Council / Ethics and behaviourLeave a comment

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The Most Secretive Council Ever has never told the public why it has been so intent on damaging this community. We have never had an explanation why they are so inflexible, so hostile to other ideas, so adversarial to opinions other than their own. We have never been told why they are so focused on their own entitlement and give no thought for or support to the residents and taxpayers in Collingwood. We have been kept in the dark about their motives and goals while The Block continues its destructive rampage against community institutions through these past two and a ……… click below for more ↓

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